Rob Ford crack video: Mayor refuses to address allegations

On May 9 — a week before the explosive publication of allegations about Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine, along with a screen-shot of the grinning mayor allegedly arm-in-arm with other crackhouse denizen — a local Toronto newspaper carried the banner headline “Mayor Spreads McHappiness.” The accompanying picture also showed a smiling Mr. Ford, but this time with a fictional criminal: the Hamburglar.

It was a classic political photo-op: Mr. Ford was on site at the Eaton Centre in Toronto during the city council’s lunch break, helping McDonald’s generate publicity for their McHappy Day charity fundraising event. It’s the sort of thing that high-profile politicians are expected to do hundreds of times per year. Indeed, as civic leaders, it’s part of their job.

Despite fresh pleas from his allies, Mayor Rob Ford left work behind the wheel of his Cadillac Escalade Tuesday afternoon without uttering a word related to his alleged crack cocaine use that has made headlines around the world.

A report that he would be making a statement sparked frenzied media attention at city hall, where the mayor was confronted by reporters on several occasions: upon his arrival, following a city council meeting on a casino, and then leaving the parking garage. He seemed to speed up between two flanks of television cameras as he exited the lot.

In the end, the only public comments he made centred on his newfound opposition to a downtown casino and a vow to “continue to fight for the taxpayer.”

But the controversy, ignited after U.S. website Gawker and the Toronto Star reported last week having viewed a cell phone video that appears to show the mayor smoking crack cocaine, gave no signs of dissipating. The video is apparently being shopped around by men allegedly involved in the drug trade and a campaign to buy it is about halfway to its $200,000 goal.

The Star said Mr. Ford used a homophobic slur to describe Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau in the video and made racially charged remarks about the high school football players he coaches. The National Post has not viewed the video and therefore cannot verify its authenticity. Gawker and The Star also published a photo that depicts the mayor standing with Anthony Smith, a man who was gunned down outside a Toronto nightclub in March.

On Friday, the mayor slammed the Star report as a smear job and called it “ridiculous,” while his lawyer Dennis Morris called the reports “false and defamatory.”

Councillor Peter Milczyn said “a three-word statement” followed by silence does not go far enough. “It’s not the kind of allegation that you can fluff off… if today wasn’t the day because of the casino debate, fine. Then, tomorrow. Obviously this isn’t going to go away.”

Councillor Mike Del Grande said he is torn over how the mayor should respond, calling it “a real, real sad state of affairs.”

The former budget chief said he is especially troubled by the proposition of paying alleged drug dealers for a copy of the video. The crowd- funded campaign by Gawker eclipsed the $90,000 mark en route to its $200,000 goal. “The moral ethics of this is bigger than just the issue of whether he did or didn’t do it,” said Mr. Del Grande.

The allegations, which have been picked up by news sites around the world, have become fodder for late night U.S. talk shows and T-shirts sold on Queen Street. Premier Kathleen Wynne was asked to weigh in.

“It’s concerning to me if there are issues, whether they’re personal issues, that get in the way of a … municipal government being able to do its business and being able to work in the best interests the city,” she said, while never using the mayor’s name, or referring to the drug allegations.

She also said it was her “hope that they will be dealt with on a personal level and at a council level as quickly as possible.”

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak said he “wasn’t going to add fuel to the fire” since he didn’t know any of the facts, and left it at that. He also said he still hopes Councillor Doug Ford runs for the PCs.

Councillor Frances Nunziata, meanwhile, called on the media to “stop harassing” Mr. Ford.

“He’s not on the run, he’s here. He’s relaxed,” she said, moments after the mayor left the building. “He responded to the media last week and when it’s appropriate he will again.”

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.